Stoker



P 9 5 N. M. LOWER ET AL STOKER Filed Oct. go, 1927 4 shuts-sheet 1 & we a C Sept. 2, 1930;

N. M. LOWER El AL STOKER Filed Oct. 20, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 fl/lllllll Patented Sept. 2, 1930 l UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE NATHAN M. LOWER, ANTON K. KUSEBAUCH, AND ALBERT R. CHALKER, OF PITTS- BURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE STAND- ARD, STOKER COMPANY INC., OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,-A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE STOKER Application filed October 20, 1927.' Serial No. 227,468.

This invention relates to stokers and. variable speed gear transmission for operating the conveyor mechanism of the stoker.

One of the principal objects of the mvention is the provision of a new and improved change speed gear mechanism that is especially adapted to operate the conveyor for stokers and the like.

Another object of the invention is the provision of new and improved means for operating stoker mechanism whereby the fuel delivery appliances may be operated at a constant speed and the transfer conveyor mechanism at different speeds for supplying fuel to the firebox to meet the engine re-' quirements under different operating conditions.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved change speed gear mechanism wherein the speed pf the operated means may be varied at the w ll of the operator with ease and facility and without the clashing of gears. I

Another object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved gear shifting mechanism that is simple in construction and is capable of effecting a large number of different gear speeds with a minimum effort on the part of the operator.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a variable speed gear transmission that is'simple and rugged in construction, easily assembled, is composed of few moving parts, and that may be cheaply manufactured.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section on the center line ofthe locomotive, with parts of the stoker broken away and parts in section; Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of a portion of a locomotive showing the invention in position thereon;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. 2; F ig; 4 is a section online H of Fig. 7;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical section of one of the clutch members andthe associated gears; i

Fig. 6 is a section on line 6--6 of Fig 5 Fig. 7 is a section on line 77 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 isa section on line-8-8 of Fig Fig. 9 is a section on line 9-9 of Fig. Fig. 10 is a detail View showing the motor and gear box with parts in section and parts broken away, and showing the parts more or motives are provided with mechanical stokers for performing this function. Due to the varying operating conditions which necessitate a variable supply of fuel for producing the proper amount of steam for operating the locomotive, it is necessary that .means he provided for operating the conveyor mechanism of these stokers at variable speeds to supply the proper amount of fuel.

as needed or required.

The present invention seeks to provide means in the form of achange speed gear mechanism for selectively operating the fuel transferring mechanism at different predetermined speeds at the will and under the control of the operator.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference character 11 designates generally the stoker casing and A the transfer conveyor for conducting fuel from the tender to the locomotive. Mounted in the casing 11 are the fuel elevator or plunger B which elevates the fuel to the distributing mechanism, andthe fuel distributing'members or vanes C that project the fuel into the firebox. The

elevator or plunger B and the vanes C are operated from the stoker engine 10 through the power shaft 12, worm 13 thereon, and gear 14 in a manner'well known ,in the art, but preferably by the mechanism shown in our copending application, Serial No. 218,797, filed September 10, 1927. Since the details of this mechanism constitute no part of the present invention, it is not thought necessary to further describe or illustrate the same.

It is desirable that means be provided for varying the speed of the fuel transfer conveyor independently of the means for operating the elevator and distributor vanes. In the form of the device selected to illustrate one embodiment of the invention, which is by way of example only, the change speed gear mechanism illustrated on the drawings, is employed for this purpose, 'and will now be described.

The engine 10 is detachably attached to one side of the casingll and a conveyor worm,

wheel casing 15 is removably attached to the opposite side thereof. The gear box, indicated generally by the reference character D, containing the change speed gear mechanism, is detachably secured to the worm wheel casing 15 as clearly indicated in Figs. '1, 2, 7 and 8 of the drawings.

The change speed mechanism within the gear box D comprises three shafts, namely: the gear box drive shaft 17, the idler shaft 20 and the driven shaft 21. The main drive shaft 12 projects into the casing 15 and is adapted to drive the gear box drive shaft 17 through the coupler connection 16. The shaft 17 is journaled in bearings 18 and 19 in the end walls of the gear box, see Fig. 4. The idler shaft 20 is journaled in the bearings 22 and 23 and the driven shaft 21 in the bearings 24 and 25, see Fig. 8. The driven shaft 21 is connected to a worm shaft 26 by a suitable coupling 27 which operates the Worm wheel 28 for imparting motion to the fuel conveyor A through a shaft 29 and universal joint 30 and suitable gears at the rear of the conveyor screw in a manner well known in the art.

Each of the three shafts 17, 20 and 21 has a plurality of gears mounted thereon. The number of gears on each shaft is determined largely by the number of speed changes desired. In the form of the device shown sixteen speed. changes are possible, but only eleven are illustrated byway of illustration. The number of changes may be increased or diminished, if desired, by changing the number of gears, clutches and cam members as will become apparent from the following disclosure.

As shown, the shaft 17 has rotatably mounted thereon the four gears 31, 32, 33 and 34; the shaft 20 has keyed thereon the four gears 35, 36, 37 and 38; and the shaft 21 has the four gears 39, 40, 41 and 42 rotatably mounted thereon. These gears are always in mesh, whereby there is no clashing of gears when a shift .is made to or from neutral or from one speed to another.

Suitable clutch members are provided for engaging the gears to effect the various speed changes. In the construction disclosed two members 47 and 48 are mounted on the driven shaft 21. These clutch members are slidably keyed on the shafts and each is provided with an annular row of teeth at each end thereof, spaced from the shaft on which the member is mounted for engaging corresponding teeth 43, 431, 432 and 433 extending laterally from the gears 31, 32, 33 and 34, respectively, to cause said gears to turn with said shaft. The driven shaft 21, as shown, is likewise provided with the two clutch members 47 and 48 slidably but non-rotatably mounted thereon, having teeth at each end thereof for engaging corresponding teeth 46, 461, 462 and 463 extending laterally from the gears 39, 40, 41 and 42, respectively.

From an inspection of Fig. 10 it will be seen that sixteen speed changes are possible with the gear arrangement shown therein. These changes are obtained by shifting the clutch members as Will'now be described. Assuming that the clutch members are in neutral position, if the clutch 44 be shifted to engage the teeth 43 and the clutch 47 be shifted to engage "the teeth 46, the driving shaft 17 will drive the driven shaft 21 at a certain rate of speed through the gears 31, 35 and 39. Now, if the clutch member 47 be shifted to the right a different speed ratio is obtained through the gears 31, 35, 36 and 40. In like manner, two more different speeds may be obtained by first shifting the clutch 48 to the left and then to the right. In other words, four speed changes are accomplished by shifting the clutch 44 to the left. The same number of speed changes may be accomplished by shifting the clutch member 44 to they right and then shifting the clutches 47 and 48 as before. Eight more speed changes may be obtained by first moving the clutch member 45 to the left and the clutch members 47 and 48 in succession to the left and then to the right and then moving the clutch member 45 to the right and shifting the clutch members 47 and 48 in succession first to the loft and then to the right.

Suitable means are provided for manually shifting the clutch members for selectively changing the speed ratios of the shafts 17 and 21. In the form of the device selected to illustrate one form of the invention, shifter members or shifters 50, 51, 52 and 53 are employed to shift the clutch members 44, 45, 47 and 48 respectively. The shifters 50 and 52 are controlled by a rotatable cam 54 and the shifters 51 and 53 are controlled by the rotatable cam 55. The cams 54 and 55 are keyed to the shaft 59 and are manually operated by a shaft 56 through the bevel gears 57 and 58. The shaft 56 is adapted to be manually operated by a crank 110, see Fig. 3, throughthe bevel gears 111 and 112 from a position within the cab. The crank is autothe cam members are rotated. The cam 54 is provided with a pair of races or grooves D and E for receiving the followers 60 and 61- of the shifters and 52. respectively, see Fig. 7. The periphery of the cam member is likewise provided with a pair of races F and G for receiving the followers 62 and 63 of the shifters 51 and 53, respectively, see Fig. 11.

gears 31 or 32. The main straight portions' of the grooves or races may, for convenience of description, be termed the neutral portions,

and are indicated in Figs. 11 and 12 by the reference character N. The offset portions of said races may be termed the change speed portions. The lateral movement of the clutches is determined by the characteristics of the race in the cam.

For the purpose of illustrating and best describing our invention, let us assume that the crank handle 110 is in a neutral position, as shown in Fig. 2, and the clutches 44, 45, 47 and 48 of Fig. 10 are all in neutral positions. Then the follower of shifter 51-controlling clutch 44 will bein neutral position, say at the point W in the race D of the cam 54, Fig. 11. Also follower 61 of shifter 52 controlling clutch 47 is in neutral position, say at the point X of race E cam 54. In a similar way follower 62 of the shifter 51 controllingclutch 45 may be considered as being in neutral position at the point Y of race F cam 55, Fig. 12. Likewise, follower 63 of the shifter 53 controlling clutch48 is in neutral position, say at the point Z of the race G of cam 55.

Desiring the lowest speed, which is the one shown on the drawings, the operator rotates the said crank handle 110 tothe right to the first notch on the indicator 113. By rotating the crank handle the cams 54 and 55 are retated in a counterclockwise motion (Figs. 11-12) which changes the position of two of the clutches, from neutral position to en gagement with the gears to impart motion to the conveyor A. Due to rotation of the cam, fol- Figs. 11 and 12 show a developed view of gear 34 to rotate with the drive shaft. The

engagement of the teeth is easily accomplished since one of the clutch members is in motion. The gear 34 turning with the drive shaft 17 imparts motion to the gear 38, which, due to its being keyed to the idler shaft 20 rotates all of the gears 35, 36 and 37 of the idler shaft. These gears in turn cause the loosely mounted gears 05, 40, 41 and 42 on the driven shaft to rotate but they do not turn the driven shaft until engagement with either of the clutches 47 or 48.

The same movement of the cams that changed the position of follower 62, causes the follower 61 of the shifter 52 controlling clutch 47 to assume the position as shown at the point 98 in the race E of cam 54. This change in position of the follower 61, causes the shifter 52, which is fulcrumed at the point 99. to shift the clutch 47 to engage with the loosely mounted but rotating gear 39. The motion of the gear 39 is transmitted through the clutch 47 to the driven shaft, which revolves the worm 26 and worm wheel 28, thus driving the stoker conveyor A. The engagement of the clutch 47 with the teeth 46 of gear 39 is easily accomplished as the gear was rotating due to the motion imparted to it from gear 34 on the drive shaft. The follower 60 controlling clutch 44 and follower 63 controlling clutch 48 have moved to the points 7 5 of race D and 86 of race G respectively, which is still the neutral position, thereby holding the clutches 44 and 48 in the neutral position as shown. Thus the first and lowest speed of the gear box is accomplished.

Provision for easily and positively engaging or. disengaging the clutches is provided for by the movement of the clutches as controlled by the followers in the races of the cams. The clutches 44 and 45 revolving with the drive shaft always engage with the gears on the drive shaft causing rotation of all the gears on the idler and driven shafts prior to the engagement of the clutches 47 or 48 on the driven shaft. With this construction, one of the clutch members is always in mo tion before the other is engaged. In a like manner, the clutches 47 or 43 on the driven shaft disengage prior to the disengagement of clutches 44 or 45 on the drive shaft. This construction is illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12. It will be noted that the follower 62 enters the offset portion of race. F from point Y, before follower 61 enters the offset portion of race E from point X.

The remaining speed changes will be brief- 1y indicated;

\Vith followers 62 and 63 in positions 65 and 87 respectively, and followers 60 and 61 in positions 76 and 991respectively, then clutch 45, controlled by follower 62, is engaged with clutch teeth 43 of gear 33, keying said gear to shaft 17, while clutch 48, controlled by follower 63 remains in neutral. The clutch 44, controlled by follower 60, also remains in the neutral position while the clutch 47, controlled by follower 61, retains its previous position of keying gear 39 to shaft 21. In this manner the train of gears 33, 37, and 39 form the second speed.

Third speed: The cams are rotated in the direction of the arrows to bring the followers to the position indicated by numerals 66, 88, 77 and 100 in Figs. 11 and 12 for shifting the clutches to drive through the gears 34, 38 and 42.

Fourth speed: The followers are in the position 67, 89, 78 and 101 and the driven shaftis operated through the gears 33, 37 and 41. x

Fifth speed: The followers are at the points 68, 90, 79 and 102 and the device opcrates through the gears 32, 36 and 40.

Sixth speed: The followers are at the points 69, 91, 80 and 103 and the drive is through the gears 33, 37, 38 and 42.

Seventh speed: The followers are at the points 70, 92, 81, 104 and the drive is through the gears 32, 36, 37, 41.

Eighth speed: The cam members are turned until the followers are at the points 71, 93,82 and 105 and the drive is through the gear; train 31, 35, 36 and Ninth speed: The followers are in the positions indicated by the numerals 72, 94, 83 and 106 and the drive is through the gear train 32, 36, 38 and 42.

Tenth speed: The followers are at the points 73, 95, 84 and 107 and the drive is through the gear train 31, 35, 37 and 41.

Eleventh speed: The cams are further rotated until the followers occupy the positions indicated by the numerals 74, 96, 85 and 108 and the drive is through the gear train 31, 35, 38 and 42.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that a flexibly controlled variablespeed mechanism has been provided for delivering various amounts of fuel from the tender to, the stoker distributing mechanism on the locomotive and that the same may be manually controlled by the operators At times during the operation of the sticker, it is desirable to stop the conveyor A independently of the delivery mechanism on the locomotive. By reference to Figs. 11 and 12 it will be apparent that between each change speed position of the followers there are neutral points designated generally by the reference character N so that in changing from one speed to another the cams 54 and may be stopped in such position that the followers Will occupy neutral position in the races. In these positions the clutches are neutral and consequently the conveyor is not operated.

By way of example, one neutral position of the followers is indicated at TV X Y Z at the lower portion of Figs. 11 and 12.

Due to some of the gears being loosely mounted on the drive shaft and having slidable clutches between the gears. it was necessary to provide means for holding the gears in position and to provide keys over which the clutches could slide. Referring to Fig. 5. the means for holding the gears in position is shown.

The gears 31 and are loosely mounted on the bushings 116 and IlIIGSPQCtlVGly, which are pressed on the shaft 17. The shaft 17 is undercut at 118 and 119 to receive thesplit collars 1-20 and 1.21. held on the shaft by the non-split annular rings 122 and 123. A set screw 124 holds the ring in position. Keys 125 are placed in the shaft between the split collars 120 and 121 and are prevented from falling out of position by the set screws 126. The clutch 44 has kcyways 127 cut therein to slide over the keys 125 and also to cause the clutch to turn with the shaft. This arrangement holds the gears in position and permits the clutch to engage or disengage with the clutch teeth on either gear.

On the larger gears the clutch teeth were 'cut in the side of the gear, but this could not be done on the small gears 32, 33 and 34. To provide clutchteeth for the gears 32 The split collars arev and 33, a separate plate 128 having clutch teeth 43 cut in its one side and having lugs 1.29 on its opposite side to interlock with the space between the gear teeth, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, was supplied. Set screws 130 held the plate to. the gear. The small gear 34 has an enlarged end 131 in which clutch teeth are cut.

From the drawings and description it will appear that the entire gear box can be removed for inspection or repairs without dis- 'turbing the conveyor worm and worm wheel 26 and 28 or the mechanism for driving the elevator Band the shovels C. In a similar way the mechanism for operating the elevator and shovels can be removed without disturbing the conveyor drive or gear box.

While the gear change speed mechanism is shown as being employed on a stoker, it is understood that while it is especially and peculiarly useful in this relation, it may be used in other relations and with other devices.

It is thought from the foregoing taken in connection with the accompanying drawings that the construction and operation of our device will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and that various changes in size,

shape, proportion and details of construc- ,said drive shaft and on said driven shaft tion may be made without departing from the spirit and'scope of the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a gear box in combination, a drive shaft, an idler shaft, and a driven shaft, a plurality of gears of different diameters, loosely mounted on said drive shaft and on said driven shaft, a plurality of gears keyed on said idler shaft and meshing with the loosely mounted gearson said drive and driven shafts, a plurality of slidable clutches keyed on said drive shaft and a plurality of slidable clutches on said driven shaft, each end of each of said clutches being adapted to engage a gear for rotating the same, a rotatable cam having cam races cut therein,

a fulcrumed shifter member connecting each clutch with one of said cam races, and manually controlled means for rotating said cam whereby the clutchesare shifted to form multiple gear trains.

2. In a gear box in combination, a drive shaft and a motor adapted to impart motion to said shaft, an idler shaft and a driven shaft, a plurality of gears of different diameters, having clutch teeth on one side thereof, loosely mounted on said drive shaft and on said driven shaft, a plurality of gears keyed on said idler shaft and meshing with the loosely mounted gears on said drive shaft and said driven shaft, a plurality of slidable clutches having teeth on each end keyed on said drive shaft and on said driven shaft, said clutches adapted to engage with the clutch teeth of the loosely mounted gears, a rotatable cam having cam races out therein, a fulcrumed shifter whereby the clutches are shifted to form multiple gear trains, and said races so constructed that upon rotation of theqam the shifter races so constructed that upon rotation of the cam the shifter members move the clutch onv the driven shaft to disengage from the gear, prior to disengagement of the clutch on the drive shaft.

4. In a. change speed mechanism, a spur gear, a clutch plate provided with clutch teeth extending laterally from one face thereof, and projections extending laterally from the other face of said plate for engaging between the teeth of said gear for locking said plate the clutch teeth on said wheels, a key engaging a keyway in said clutch member and shaft, a split collar at each end of said key, engaging grooves in said shaft, said collars having radial flanges for preventing inward movement of said gear wheels, a ring member on each collar, and means engaging said ring,

collar and shaft for holding. the same in assembled relation, each collar and ring being' located radially inwardly of the teeth on said gear wheels.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signa- NATHAN M. LOWER. ANTON K. KUSEBAUCH. ALBERT R. CHALKER.

tures.

to engage with the loosely mounted gears I thereon, to cause all other gears to be in motion, prior to the engagement of the clutch on the driven shaft.

3. In a gear box in combination, -a drive shaft and a motor adapted-to impart motion to said shaft, an idler shaft and a driven shaft, a. plurality of gears ofdiiferent diameters, having clutch teeth'on one side thereof, I

loosely mounted on said drive shaft and on said driven shaft, a plurality of gears keyed on said idler shaft and meshing with the loosely mounted gears on said drive shaft and said driven shaft, a plurality of slidable clutches having teeth on each end keyed on said clutches adapted to engage with the clutch teeth of the-loosely mounted gears, a rotatable cam having cam races cut therein, a fulcrumed shifter member connecting each clutch with one of the cam races, means for rotating said cam whereby the clutches are shifted to form multiple gear trains, and said 

